A Nickel In The Right Place
by Kat Lee formerly Pirate Turner
Summary: Buck is determined to cheer up his Kid. Slash with a hint of implied het at the end.


Title: "A Nickel In The Right Place"  
Author: Pirate Turner  
Rating: PG-13  
Summary: Buck is determined to cheer up his Kid. Slash.  
Challenge: Phyllis' M7M Challenge for 5-12-8: Use "Depressed", "desperate", "disappointed", and "determined".  
Warnings: Slash, Implied het  
Disclaimer: JD Dunne, Buck Wilmington, Chris Larabee, Vin Tanner, Ezra Standish, Inez Recillos, Josiah Sanchez, Nathan Jackson, and The Magnificent Seven are & TM CBS, The Mirisch Group, MGM, and Trilogy Entertainment, not the author. Everything else is & TM the author. The author makes absolutely no profit off of this work of fan fiction, and no copyright infringement is intended.

Buck sighed into his drink as he watched JD sitting across from him, his beautiful eyes darkened by the dark thoughts he knew was filling his head as they gazed woefully into his ale and his shoulders slumped in defeat. His boy had been depressed for days, ever since his gun's failure to fire in the midst of the heat of an encounter four nights ago. Buck had tried time and again to cheer him up but had yet to manage to do so this time. A frown tugged at the older man's features for he was disappointed in his failure to cheer up his boy as JD was in his own failure, not that the latter had been his fault. They had all felt the sting of a gun who had failed them before though they would not readily admit it, but whereas JD's failure was not his fault, it was Buck's fault, or so he felt, that his partner remained down in the dumps. He was determined to keep trying until he succeeded, but he had ran out of ideas.

His mustache twitched as his mouth lifted into a thin line of determination. If he was out of ideas, he'd simply have to create new ones. His eyes swept the saloon but found no signs of inspiration. His hand shoved into his pocket and came out with its contents nearly spilling over. He cradled them in both hands as he studied them, disregarding each in turn. He'd tried a few tricks with his pocket watch to no avail, and the handkerchief was a woman's ploy, not a man's. He'd used his knife in every way he could think of, but the closest he'd come was when his whittling a small gift had made JD's eyes light up and the corners of his mouth begin to twitch upwards into a smile before his memory of that night had flooded back over him and he'd declared himself unworthy of such a gift. Buck was determined he would still accept it, but first he had to cheer him up.

Soon, the only thing left in his hands were coins. The others had aided him in his fruitless efforts to cheer JD, and Ezra had already tried every trick in his book, both with money and cards, to cheer the Kid all to no avail. A memory of a trick he'd used on Adam years ago suddenly flashed through Buck's mind. He started to shove it away, thinking that it would only work on a kid, but he was desperate. He smiled nervously. It might just be stupid enough to work!

He picked out a particularly shiny nickel and shoved the rest of his belongings back into his pocket. He leaned back in his chair, his head tilting against the wall, put the coin carefully into place, and waited for JD to notice. He cleared his throat. He drummed his fingernails against the table. He cleared his throat again. Still JD refused to look.

Inez swept by to refill their drinks and burst into laughter that stung Buck's cheeks, but he stayed determinedly in place, her amused reaction only serving to tell him that the joke was still funny. It was the senorita's bubbling laughter that finally caused JD's eyes to lift. "What's so funny . . . ?" he started to ask as Inez bustled on only to have his words freeze in his throat as his eyes fell upon Buck's charming face.

He stayed with his breathing calm and careful and the rest of his body barely moving, not even daring to allow his mustache to lift though it begged to twitch. His eyes met JD's with a practiced look of complete innocence. "What?"

JD stared at the nickel that balanced precariously on the end of his partner's nose and then, finally, after what seemed at eternity to Buck as he waited with bated breath and faltering hope, burst out laughing. It was not a chuckle or a giggle that Buck was rewarded with but a full-hearted guffaw.

Buck dropped his act with a grin that spread from ear to ear. A slight movement from across the room drew his eyes, and he swallowed hard suddenly as he saw that Chris and Vin had evidently been watching their entire moment. Chris gave him a nod and a tiny salute of approval with two fingers of the hand that was wrapped around his mug, but Vin was laid back across his chair, shaking from head to toe with laughter. Next to them sat Josiah and Nathan, whose heads were also thrown back in laughter.

Buck was glad Ezra's card game had caused him to miss his silly act as his cheeks darkened, but then as his eyes returned to JD, who was still laughing with amusement dancing in his glittering eyes, Buck realized that it really didn't matter what the others thought. He had done what he had set out to do as JD's spirits were completely lifted, and that was all that mattered. He pulled out the one item he'd kept safely tucked away in the inside pocket of his jacket, reached over the table, grasped JD's hands in his, and firmly placed the wooden object in the young man's palm.

JD froze, knowing what was in his hand and not daring to let any one else see it for the others had all warned him of what would happen if their secrets were to get out. Buck's fingers pressed against JD's closed fist, and he stroked him tenderly, not caring, in that moment, who might see what. "Keep it," he pleaded softly, his eyes gazing adoringly into his beloved's. "You might as well," he said with a charming smile, "for you already have the real thing." He pressed his other hand over his own heart as JD held tightly to the wooden one he was giving him again for the second time.

"Kid," Buck continued, still stroking his hand, "sometimes we can't help our guns failing. It's natural. None of us like it. None of us want to admit it, but it happens to all of us every now and again. You went through a lot that night. Your nerves were frayed, and you were still hurting. When you're ready to try again, you let me know, but no pressure."

"Buck?" JD breathed, feeling his gun rising to the occasion.

"Yeah, JD?"

He grinned. "I'm ready to try again. Race ya." The two ran so fast for the staircase that they nearly knocked Inez down in the process. She was sent spinning, but five men ran to her rescue. Vin and Josiah caught the pitcher and trays before they could hit the floor. Chris and Nathan managed to catch the glasses between the two of them, and Ezra caught her fast and secure in his strong arms before she could fall.

As she gazed into his handsome face, her heart fluttering, she knew she was safe. She also knew what Buck and JD had been running to do, and her laughter, this time, was infectious. Their laughter floated up the stairs to JD and Buck, who knew their family supported them and were touched by that acknowledgment even though all that really mattered right then to them was each other and their loving union.

**The End**


End file.
